Dubner International, Inc.

Press Releases

Scene Stealer Transcriber - The SST of Transcription

September 21, 1998
Scene Stealer, Dubner's automatic scene detector, now features advanced transcription tools for marking phrases based on audio cues. The software has been enhanced during the initial video scene detection and audio grab process as well as in the playback and review phase.

While automatically marking and storing video cutpoint data, the Scene Stealer system also gives users the ability to insert phrase cutpoints on the fly. The new feature is called "reachback." The user defines a parameter for backtracking a set number of frames to insert a cut based on phrasing. The parameter accounts for the lag time between hearing and physically marking key points in the audio track without interrupting audio play. Fine tuning occurs during the playback phase. During playback, the operator can drag a marker along the optical soundtrack to an exact location for inserting a cutpoint.

Cutpoint timecodes are stored in EDL format, inserted into text boxes as part of a transcript, or stored in database files for quick retrieval.

Timecode data is tied to the video/audio file for accurate reporting. Standard cut and paste operations allow movement of picture and text data between word processing programs or scripts. EDLs, archival files, and transcripts are prepared entirely within Scene Stealer eliminating the need for monitor, tape deck or cassette.

Scene Stealer consists of a circuit board and software for Windows computers. The board has video frame grabber and scene detection circuitry. Audio is input via a sound card or internal sound system and synchronized to the video display.

Additional applications such as closed captioning and subtitling are enhanced by Scene Stealer's combination of video and audio operations. Dubner offers a software upgrade path for existing Scene Stealer systems.

for more information contact:
Bob Dubner
Dubner International, Inc.
tel: 201-664-6434
home Scene Stealer Specifications Scene Stealer Users Report

Entire Tape Libraries on Disk Thanks to New Stealer Compression

September 24, 1998
Scene Stealer's new software version 3.0 is a 32 bit program featuring JPEG compression choices for working with color video thumbnails. Color storage requirements are now at the same levels or lower than the original stored monochrome images. A useful rule of thumb for either black and white or color is an hour's worth of video, stored at one frame per second, requires 60 megabytes of disk space. Setting a higher compression level reduces the storage even further.

As a result, entire tape libraries can be archived on disk instead of just selected frames or scenes. For instance, a half hour tape, grabbed, stored and logged with a Stealer-in-Color system uses 30 megabytes of disk space. Popular Zip or Jazz drives now offer both removable and internal mass storage for archiving hundreds of tapes in a digital format that are network compatible or transportable to multiple computers via disk exchange.

Even in the digital age, a printed catalog is a useful reference. The new software adds color printing ability for both laser and inkjet printer models. A three-ring binder containing pictorial logs, transcripts, or storyboards with timecode references and comments is a handy tool for organizing a media library.

Adding color capability to Scene Stealer systems requires a compatible color frame grab board. To date, Intel's Smart Video Recorder III and Pinnacle's, miroMedia PCTV boards are recommended models. Dubner resells the miroMedia board for use with Scene Stealer. The color boards work in conjunction with, not in place of, the original Scene Stealer system.

Program 3.0 is a software upgrade for systems running Windows 95 or higher.

for more information contact:
Bob Dubner
Dubner International, Inc.
tel: ~~201 664-6434~~
fax ~~201-358-9377~~

home Scene Stealer Specifications Scene Stealer Users Report

www.dubner.com/ss2.htm Revised 29-August-2004